A new era begins at Manipal Hospital with pioneer of cardiac surgery in India, Dr. K.M. Cherian, associating with Manipal Heart Foundation (MHF). New initiatives and research activities have been planned to push boundaries of medical technology to treat heart diseases starting with cutting edge research on Stem Cell related techniques. This will, in the long run, enable patients to obtain most advanced and sophisticated treatment through much safer procedures with cost effectiveness.

MHF is amongst the handful of heart centers globally to foray into research on Stem Cell technology. "The advancement in technology has revolutionized both diagnosis and treatment. There is an increasing preference for non-invasive procedure for cardiac operations world over", said Dr. V. Subhash Chandra, chief cardiologist at Manipal Heart Foundation. Previous research has shown that stem cells can help cardiac tissue to repair by itself within weeks after a heart attack.

Stem cells are cells with the ability to divide for indefinite periods in culture and to give rise to specialized cells. Under certain physiologic or experimental conditions, they can be induced to become cells with special functions such as the beating cells of the heart muscle or the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.

Adult stem cells in a living organism perform the role of maintaining and repairing the tissue in which they are found. It may become possible to generate healthy heart muscle cells in the laboratory and then transplant those cells into patients with chronic heart disease. Other recent studies in cell culture systems indicate that it may be possible to direct the differentiation of embryonic stem cells or adult bone marrow cells into heart muscle cells.

As the one among the largest heart centers in Asia with state-of-the-art technology and equipment including a GE Innova Digital Catheterization Laboratory, a modern intensive coronary care unit and intensive therapy unit, an advanced Nuclear Cardiology Lab and sophisticated electrophysiology lab for EPS studies MHF will have an edge in stem cell research. The other added advantages for MHF to foray into the genetically engineered valve programme are the homograft bank and its largest blood bank in the country.

Dr. K.M. Cherian said, "Manipal is my alma mater. To be associated with and work with a global care facility of specialists would provide a fillip to the stem cell research."

Dr. Cherian, chairman of the International Centre for Cardio Thoracic and Vascular diseases, has ample experience in stem cell research. As a globally recognized pioneer in pediatric cardiac surgery he performed the first successful coronary artery graft in India in 1975. His other efforts include the first heart transplant in India after the legislation of Brain Death, the first Bilateral lung transplant, the first Paediatric Heart transplant, the first Auto transplant, and the first Heart and Lung transplant.

Dr. Subhash began extensive research on Stem Cell technology at MHF and is a specialist in non-invasive procedures. Both Dr. Cherian and Dr. Subhash have numerous international scientific papers and publications to their credit. The combination of two internationally acclaimed pioneers of cardiac treatment techniques could create a platform for ground breaking work, stated sources from Manipal Hospital.